Belated Birthday May Flowers ~ Andrew here.
It’s the end of May and with the end of the month comes the end of May Flowers (*tear*). This past week saw three significant birthdays pass by for The Film Experience – Helena Bonham Carter (May 26), Carey Mulligan (May 28) and Annette Bening (May 29). Although we didn’t carve out proper time at TFE to fête each of them – a combined celebration of May Flowers will surely suffice. True, they’re all at different stages in their career but if there’s one thing that we at The Film Experience know it’s that actresses are the flowers in the garden of cinema and we just couldn’t survive if they stopped prospering. So, on with the celebration.
It’s not surprising that her breakthrough character Jenny Mellor is the one on the receiving end of flowers. It seem like everyone is interested in courting her, doesn’t it? But, are they really? Since her breakout performance in An Education she’s been in seven films (eight if you count the upcoming Inside Llewyn Davis) with major roles in only four of those, so it’s not as if she’s truly been as ubiquitous as people believe. Were she receiving that bouquet from me and not a slimy, cheating husband (what has Peter Sarsgaard been up to since An Education) my message would be, “Keep doing what you’re doing.” Between roles like Irene, Sissy, and Kathy she’s at least proven her versatility. And who would have imagined our Jenny Mellor would grow up to be Daisy Buchanan? She deserves any flowers coming her way, I’d say.
Our Lady Annette...
Carey is lucky to receive flowers from suitors. The Bening is proactive - she’s not waiting for flowers to turn up at her door but growing them on her own. It’s the unfortunate fate of many actresses over forty who are not working with subtitles. Big name directors aren’t as interested in courting them as muses. Looking ahead we’ve got three Annette ventures that seem promising. Annette has been a case study for actors who’ve maintained their talents (or even improved them) as they’ve grown older.
What would 2013 Annette be thinking looking at that sleek rose? Probably some variation on, “I’m as flawless as this American Beauty.” She’d be right.
Carey’s receiving flowers, Annette grows her own, Helena Bonham Carter seems fine just standing in a field of them. That's telling. Though it's a touch disingenuous to say that Helena has given up on acting - she is still sometimes the saving grace of her films (looking at you Alice in Wonderland) -- but post Sweeney Todd it seems she’s too often willing to merely exist, content to "be" instead of thrive. That's why I was so intrigued by the news that she’d be playing Elizabeth Taylor for BBC. If there’s one things that’s unfortunately separated post 2000 Helena from pre 2000 Helena it’s the lack of risk in her role choices. It might be difficult to find another Kate Croy to play, but if I could send Helena a message on her birthday it would be to push herself more. She’s good enough to make stock queenly figures lilt, but let’s hope she looks for more than just stock figures to play in the near future.
We send Carey, Annette and Helena separate virtual bouquets tonight. Which cards would you like to co-sign? What would your message be to these actresses?